Refined flour or whole wheat flour in cakes?

[hasya]

All recipes call for all-purpose flour. Is it not possible to bake with whole wheat bread flour or pastry flour?

[catnip]

Whole wheat bread flour will impart a definite difference in flavor and texture, but it can be done. Expect it to be much denser and nuttier tasting, a little more bitter.

Whole wheat PASTRY flour can be swapped in for up to half of your white flour in any recipe imperceptibly, and I regularly use all WWPF, though the results are a little denser and you get a wheaty flavor, but I like that.

[hasya]

Thanks, Catnip. I see these 2 kinds of whole wheat flour. I don't know what the difference is!

[amma_mama]

I like to use unbleached white whole wheat flour (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-white-whole-wheat-flour-5-lb) - it is much lighter than regular whole wheat. It is closer in texture to all-purpose, which means you can do a 1-for-1 substitute with little effect on taste texture. I think that TJ's also has a similar variety.

[catnip]

Pastry flour is lower in gluten and more finely ground than regular bread flour.